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Michael Vaughan’s June 1st UpdateSix Buys - Vintages May 29 Release

Let me catch up with the May 29 Vintages Release which features 104 items plus 14 untasted In-Store Discoveries (designated as ISD). It has a Argentine “Mighty Mendoza” thematic with 11 reds and 4 whites featuring a few best buys. Then there are 14 items in the “French Loire” thematic - 10 whites, 3 reds & 1 sparkling. There 4 whites from Ontario - only one in the press preview. To get the full scoop on each of the wines, become an FBTI Supporter today with a $20 discount!

I have just returned from Queen Victoria’s home land after attending the 20th London International Wine Fair, the 50th anniversary dinner of the UK Circle of Wine Writers led by my friend Steven Spurrier and the “serious cool” Ontario Chardonnay tasting at Canada House. I have a lot to say about each of these events, but given the great holiday weekend weather, I will save it for my next column.

While most Canadians will be celebrating this weekend behind their barbie, one might pause to salute the woman who made it all possible. Yes, Queen Victoria would be celebrating her 191st birthday. Trying to find the appropriate salutatory tipple turned out to be a bit of a chore, although bubbly was high on my list.

After all, no matter how you spell it, the Victorians were never prudish about Sekt (German sparkling wine)! Indeed, it has been erroneously suggested that Sekt was the favourite tipple of German Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg who was born at Schloss Rosenau in 1819. He married Alexandrina Victoria after visiting London in 1839 and during their 18-year marriage (thanks to Sekt?) managed to sire nine children. Certainly a significant toast is in order when one considers that Queen Victoria ruled from 1837 to 1901 and survived at least eight known assassination attempts.

Before moving on, let me inform you that there are now some remarkable classic sparkling wines coming out of English vineyards that will even put some Champagnes to shame.

Let me catch up with the May 15sth Vintages Release which features 115 items. It has a Burgundy thematic with 7 reds, 6 whites and one Cremant. A couple are definitely worth trying, unfortunately some are so-so. Then there is also a mini California Chardonnay thematic - the best buy appears below. The Rose thematic features 13 wines, again with a couple of winners. Then add 21 untasted In-Store Discoveries (designated as ISD) from various sources and you have 136 items hitting the shelves. To get the full scoop on all the wines, become an FBTI Supporter today with a $20 discount!

PLANNING AHEAD: Sunday, May 9th - Mother's DayA Trip to Statford: One of my favourite destinations is Stratford - great food and theatre! Make sure you don't miss the Real Deal: Seven plays launch the 2010 season this spring with song, wit, exuberance and lyricism for which the Stratford Shakespeare Festival company of artists is renowned. Discover lovers of all ages, and of the ages, as they bicker and swoon in Kiss Me Kate, As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale and Evita. Visit worlds of the magical and fantastical with the young at heart and the aged and experienced in Peter Pan and The Tempest. Take a journey through the passionate ups and downs of existence brought to life by the troubadour in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Go online at www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com and enter promotion code 32253 to purchase two tickets for $99 Monday to Thursdays, $149 for 2 seats Fridays to Sundays for all plays, subject to availability until June 30. This special offer is only available online and applies to new bookings only.

The May 1st Vintages Release features 115 items. It has a Zinfandel-Primitivo thematic with 12 reds - 8 from California and 4 from Italy. It’s all a very mixed bag so you will have to choose carefully. Cool Fusion features 10 wines from New Zealand. Throw in 4 from Prince Edward County, 4 spirits plus 4 rosé and there you have it. Plus there’s an additional 5 untasted In-Store Discoveries (designated as ISD).

Saturday & Sunday - April 24-25 - Green Living ShowDiscover the latest new green products and services from hundreds of exhibitors. Gain earth-friendly advice and useful information for your daily life. Check out the BioVino eco-firendly wine tasting experience.

ALSO: Eat Green all next week at Crush Wine Bar!
Starting every evening from April 21st – 24th — Crush invites you every night after the show to enjoy a different $35 Prefixed Green Menu featuring all natural and local ingredients — Plus 50% off bar menu food items. Crush will also be showcasing selections at the Green Living Show's newest event BioVino eco-firendly wine tasting.

Saturday, April 24 - Spirit of Toronto
This annual event features many single malt whiskies and blends, along with food, master class options, live jazz and a cigar lounge. Tickets are $120 in advance, $135 the day of the show. Unfortunately, once again there is no list of spirits available for tasting. Toronto’s 6th Annual Whisky Gala is an evening-only event - see www.spiritoftoronto.ca for information.

Monday, April 26 – ExposéVincor Canada will be showcasing more than 100 wines and spirits with over 30 brands. At the Art Gallery of Ontario (Baille Court) from 6 - 9 pm at only $30 pp. If you have any questions, contact Cathy MacLean at cathy.maclean@vincor.ca or call 905.564.3003 ex 5721. For details visit www.exposetasting.com

Thursday, April 29 - New Zealand Wine Fair
The Trade Fair takes place from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. and the Public Fair from 7:00 - 9:30 p.m at $60 per person. Held at the Design Exchange (234 Bay Street, Toronto). Contact Robert Ketchin, New Zealand Winegrowers at 705-444- 0195 or email rketchin@ketchin.com. You can register at www.nzwine-events.ca

Monday, May 19th California Wine Fair:
First on the horizon is the Monday, April 19th California Wine Fair at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel (100 Front Street West) in theCanadian Room where some425 wines from over 145 wineries will be available for tasting. The by-invitation-only Trade Fair Tasting takes place from 2:30 to 5.00 pm. The evening Consumer Tasting event takes place from 7 to 9:30 pm and costs $65.

In some instances, winery representatives from California will be in attendance in order to discuss their wines and the latest industry developments. If you can’t make the Toronto event, it moves to Ottawa on Tuesday, April 20th. For information visit www.calwine.ca, call 1-800-558-CORK (2675) or email at calwine@sympatico.ca

At a preview tasting of some 50 wines, I was most impressed with the progress made with Chardonnay (there are some 85 to be tasted). It seem that producers have finally got rid the excessive oakiness and high alcohol levels that afflicted many previous releases. They are fresher and better balanced than ever before, and thankfully, prices have started to recede. Here is a compendium of recent Vintages releases – click here

A big plus is being able to see the catalogue ahead of time. I have put all the information in this 50-page document into a convenient 12-page summary click here to download. With so many wines to taste, you will easily get lost in this huge space. As there is no a-z layout, here is your one-page survivor’s guide FLOOR PLAN - click here

HIGHLIGHT: One of my recent highlights is Artesa 2007 Carneros Chardonnay, which will be poured at booth #25. Winemake David Dobson has done a great job integrating excellent structure, fine acidity and flavourful toasty lime notes from the classy French barrels. The grapes were hand harvested and whole cluster pressed using only the gentlest of sparkling wine methods. This step is critical to give us all of the great fruit flavor developed in the vineyard without any of the harshness that comes from rough handling. This wine was 50% barrel fermented with sur lees stirring and aging and partially stainless steel fermented (also with lees stirring) to achieve a nuanced balance of fruit, lees and barrel character. Half of this wine has undergone a secondary malolactic fermentation to enhance its buttery creaminess. Don't miss tasting this one! It's a shame that Vintages has not brought this 2007 back into the fold. The terrific 2006 was a best buy and the 2007 only made a peek-a-boo appearance earlier this year with too few cases appearing in the Vintages Shop Online Exclusives venue. Despite being worth more, this wine should be priced at $20. It's a terrific licenseee white but if premium California wines are to regain popularity, it shouldn't be overpriced.

On Tuesday, April 20 is the Argentina Trade Fair tasting being held at the Inter-Continental Hotel – Toronto Centre (225 Front St. West) in the Oakville & Caledon Rooms from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. Some 19 wineries will be showcasing their wines. Register at www.winespeak.ca/rsvp.argentina

Recommedationas from April 17th Vintages Release

Here is the April 17th Vintages Release synopsis, which features103 items. It has a Veneto thematic with 3 whites, 15 reds, 1 rose, and 2 sparklers. There are a number of duds so you will have to choose carefully. The Green Teams features 15 items, 10 being organic. Plus there are 7 untasted In-Store Discoveries.

Here are some of my RECOMMENDED suggestions . In terms of whites, there are two choices from California:

I have Spain on the brain because there are a number of excellent, very well priced buys that would be perfect for Easter. Because they hit the shelves today (April 1st), my first and most important suggestion is that you make a beeline to the LCBO and pick up a couple of bottles of my sparkling recommended/best buy:

Codornui Pinot Noir Rose Cava has been an extremely consistent best buy at Vintages. It’s much better than many of the pricier rose bubblies from elsewhere, I even include some dastardly expensive Champagne in that group of ‘what-not-to-drink’ sparklers.

Fortunately, Spanish wines are not all that difficult to understand. What is a bit challenging is dealing with the variety of styles now coming from each region. I am sure that many senior Spanish wine aficionados remember those traditional, over-oaked, baked plum Riojas of the past, which were often quite dusty and occasionally with dried out flavours. If you relish that style, they still can be found. Great with roast lamb and grilled meats, they do not work as well with lighter flavoured dishes, poultry and vegetarian items.

However, I have to sing halleluiah for new juicier style that is bound to appeal to the next generation. A classic example of that is the transformation achieved by Alvaro Palacios who embodies the promise and spirit of "The New Spain". After training in Bordeaux under Jean-Pierre Moueix at the renowned Chateau Petrus, Alvaro returned to Spain where he has helped revolutionize Spanish wine. His wines have won him cult status and are highly respected by the wine press. The Wine Spectator has called Alvaro “Spain’s Most Exciting Winemaker”, in 2003 Wine & Spirits Magazine named him their “Winemaker-of-the-Year” and his L'Ermita is widely considered to be the most important Spanish wine in a generation.

A fine example that hit the Vintages shelves last December (still available) is Palacios Remondo 2006 La Montessa Rioja (674572 - $19.95). This recommended **+ blend of 55% Garnacha, 40% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo was aged for 12 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. The vineyards at Palacios Remondo are all organically farmed and the wines produced are bottled unfiltered and unfined.

In the April 3rd release, there are three fine recommended Rioja selections – two red and one must not be missed white:

These sentiments were reinforced by this week’s April 30, 2010 Wine Spectator article by Kim Marcus. Never have more Portuguese wines scored so highly. There were 15 “Top Wines” all scoring from 93 to 96 points. Nor has there ever been more super value. For instance, you will be hard pressed to find better value than Carm 2007 Douro Reserve(TABLE 16) with 94 points at only $27! Note that there are an additional 14 “Top Values” with scores up to 91 points at $10 pricing!

This ViniPortugal event highlights some 400 wines from more than four-dozen wineries. Despite the absence of a few notable producers who really should be in attendance, there’s a treasure trove of great wines from the terrific 2007 vintage to be assessed. Trying to figure out what to taste in just a few hours isn’t easy.

There are 46 tables with 55 wineries laid out in a rather user-unfriendly fashion. Looking at the brochure, you will see that the Index (page 1) lists the producer and importer click here. Unfortunately, the tables are not sorted alphabetically by producer, nor by region. Of course, the latter would be challenging as many major producers have wines originating in different regions, often with distinct vineyard names. If anything, there’s an attempt to group them by agent, but even this breaks down. Warning: trying to find the wine you want to taste may be difficult.

On the positive side, the tasting book is nicely laid out with perhaps just enough room to make a brief note on the wine being presented.

However, what makes things even more difficult is that some producers represent an array of wineries and/or labels. For instance, at Real Companhia Velha (TABLE 3), there are 10 wines presented with four different “wineries” labels:Porca de Murca(3), Evel (2), Quinta dos Aciprestes (2) and Royal Oporto (3). Real Companhia Velha also owns three more, albeit unfeatured, labels: Quinta de Cidro, Grandjo and Grantom. As there is no alphabetically sorted label index, it’s impossible to find out who has which wine and/or the table to go to.

I had hoped that the 392 listings in Tasting Buddy, which at least can be sorted alphabetically and also show the table numbers, might solve this problem. Unfortunately, no luck. You can only search by the producer name. For instance, all Real Companhia Velha wines start with the name of the “producer” and appear under the company name Real Companhia Velha. Warning: Tasting Buddy does not let you search out the individual wine.

Having said that, I have checked marked some of our Sommelier Selects recommendations on our “Sommelier Selects ViniPortugal List”, which is adapted from Tasting Buddy. Suggestion: download our 12-page pdf it and take with you to the event click here

I have just returned from a five-day taste trip to the Bairrada, Dao and Biera Interior regions (going west-to-east from the Atlantic to the mountainous Spanish border half-way between Lisbon and Porto). I was most impressed with what I saw and tasted. While I have visited Portugal’s wine regions many times (starting in 1970’s), I have never seen as much progress. Rather than take up a lot of time now with details, let me just suggest some highlights.

First, a tip of the hat to Arlindo Beca, owner of the Toronto-based company FWP (Food & Wine of Portugal), one of Canada’s most progressive wine importers. FWP has the lion’s share of outstanding Portuguese imports and works incessantly making sure that he has not only the best, but that his special wines get assessed by Canada’s leading wine critics. It is a shame that there are not more companies like his!

One of more famous characters in the FWP portfolio is the ever-rebellious Louis Pato owner of the Bairrada-based Adega Luis Pato (TABLE 10). His new modern compact winery was a joy to visit (March 10th). He produces some excellent wines from the region’s red Baga grape, which has been compared to Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir in terms of being a temperamental pain-in-the-ass. Baga calls for low yields and is susceptible to rapid harvest-time rot if it rains.

In any case, Mr. “Duck” (Pato means “duck” in Portuguese) produces some great sparkling wines from various indigenous grapes. For my taste, his excellent Louis Pato Sparkling Baga, with its light pinkish hue and delicious, vibrant, ripe fraise des bois (wild baby strawberry) flavours is a definite winner. Interestingly enough, it is made from early harvested Baga. You should also taste, his new, sweet (icewine-inspired?) 100% Baga dessert wine Louis Pato 2009 Abafado Molecular Rose.

At Carm, mentioned above (TABLE 16), there are some great value wines for discerning palates. I have not visited their vineyards located in the Douro Superior region, but have been impressed with the Carm 2008 Branco wih its harmonious, gently tangy, spicy, honeysuckle, melon-pear flavours and lingering, unoaked, mineral-tinged finish. This delightful blend of Codega do Larinhno, Rabigato and Viosinho is available on consignment at $15 (licensee)

There are many wines that I have not tasted, but should not be missed. Among them is Wine & Soul (TABLE 18). Many years ago when I first assessed a barrel sample of Sandra Tavares da Silva’s unreleased 2001 Pintas in Porto, I desperately tried to see if I could buy a barrel (26 cases). It was one of the most divine, delicious, Portuguese reds I had ever tasted. At the time, it cost under $20. Only 5,000 bottles were made and, unfortunately, my purchase never happened. Now, if you can find it, it fetches 100 Euros a bottle. I suggest you make a detour to try her Guru white and two Touriga Nacional reds.

While Bairrada is not very well known for its limited number of white wines, I was smitten by the whites I tasted at the ultra-modern gravity-flow Campolargo(TABLE 19). In particular, their Campolargo 2008 Entre II Santos Brancois a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Bical, while their Campolargo 2008 Arinto was one of the top wines of the trip! It isn’t inexpensive, but must not be missed.

To check out to see what has appeared in Vintages this and last year click here

Here is a short summary of some recommendations from Julian Hitner (JH) and myself (MV):

(TABLE 1) Henriques & Henriques One of our favourite Madeira houses, with some really stellar 10 & 15-year-old wines, of which sommeliers ought to line up in droves to taste. Granted, Madeira carries a limited audience for clients, but the quality alone merits some conspicuous consumption at this particular table. Be sure to make this your last stop. (MV&JH)
Cavima Enterprises – contact Miguel Jardim (416.488-0851)

(TABLE 2) Quinta do Ventozelo Much improved in recent years, and now producing some considerably good wines. Useful for sommeliers are the ports and red table wines, both of which can be easily obtained in the Ontario market. This afternoon, I’d recommend trying the 2007 Reserva, Douro DOC -- great on the budget, as is the non-Reserva (hopefully). (JH)
B & W Wines (416.531.5553)

(TABLE 7) Bacalhôa Vinhos de Portugal An extraordinary estate to behold, with significant, reliable quality across the board. This afternoon, one of the top wines to watch out for is (probably) the 2007 Tinta da Ânfora,Grande Escolha VR Alentejano. (JH)
Diamond Estates (416.488-6039)

(TABLE 10) Luís Pato Located in the heart of Bairrada, this winery means serious business, especially when it comes to taming the ever-tannic Baga varietal. Not to be missed is the 2008 Quinta de Ribeirinho Pé Franco VR Beiras, crafted from ungrafted Baga vines. (JH) Don’t miss the Sparkling Baga. (MV)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

(TABLE 12) João Portugal Ramos A top-quality producer with a solid reputation for good-value table wines (reds in particular). Personally, I would have a go of the 2007 Marquês de Borba, Alentejo DOC, along with the ‘Villa Santa’ labels. (JH) - As for reasonably priced and cheerful, Loios 2008 Blanco hits the spot – an excellent house wine that is currently available at the LCBO for only $9.95. (MV)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

(TABLE 13) Quinta do Côtto A winery with a growing reputation for quality, and the flagship 2007 Grande Escolha, Douro DOC is available this afternoon for tasting -- enough said. (JH)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

(TABLE 16) Quinta Vale Dona Maria & Van Zeller A real treat that this winery is in town, run by the former own of Quinta da Noval. On this occasion, the best wines to taste are the 2007 Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, Douro DOC and the 2007 Casa de Casal de Loivos, Douro DOC. (JH)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

(TABLE 16) Carm As mentioned above, there are some great value wines for discerning palates. From the Douro Superior region, I have been impressed with the Carm 2008 Branco (licensee $15). Don’t miss Carm 2007 Douro Reserve, which is available through consignment for only $29. (MV)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

(TABLE 18) Wine & Soul Make a detour to try the 2008 Guru white and two Touriga Nacional reds, including 2007 Pintas Duoro Red. I haven’t tasted these releases but the winemaker Sandra Tavares is one of the best in Portugal. (MV)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

(TABLE 19) Campolargo Don’t miss some of the best whites of the show: Campolargo 2008 Entre II Santos Branco is a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Bical, while Campolargo 2008 Arinto was one of the top wines of my recent trip. (MV)
Groupe Soleil (416.484.0007)

(TABLE 25) José Maria da Fonseca One of the most respected producers in Portugal and an important player in the Ontario market. Aside from the sweet wines (always delicious), you can’t go wrong (at least hopefully) with a sample of the 2007 Domini, Douro DOC, one of the more premium brands of the estate. (JH)
Philippe Dandurand (416.368.3344)

(TABLE 30) Caves Aliança An establishment with an ever-increasing knack for quality wines. I have tasted the 2007 Quinta dos Quatro Ventos, Douro DOC, and it is truly fantastic – the best they have ever made (MV).
PMA Canada (905.257.2116)

(TABLE 32) Herdade do Esporão The most recent 2006 release in Vintages showed very well and the 2007 Reserva, Alentejo DOC should be even better. (MV/JH)
FWP Trading (416.487.6153)

The March 20th Release features 104 items. It has an Easter Feast thematic with 13 whites, 13 reds, 3 rose and 6 sparklers all priced, with one exception, from $12.95 to $31.95. You will have to buy selectively, it’s a very mixed bag. Ontario’s New Guard features 6 items. Plus there are 30 untasted In-Store Discoveries (designated ISD), of which 15 are designated asISD-Xmeaning they are unsold previously-released Vintages On-Line items. It is a long-standing fact that Vintages steadfastly refuses to let the wine writers taste these items for fear that this might create excessive demand. The result is an ever-increasing number of unsold Vintages On-Line items, which are dumped into the bi-weekly In-Store Discovery releases.

I am not sure weather it’s good or bad, but there’s an ever-growing list of recommended wines to consider from an ever-increasing number of blogging wine pundits. I am always surprised by some of the scores, but that’s taste. I certainly have my own personal take on what’s worth buying, as well as, what not to buy. I try to be consistent from release to release. I offer readers 20 years of continuous, rigorous Vintages reviews – more than any other credible wine critic in Canada.

The March 6th Vintages Release features 109 items. It has a Chile thematic with 15 wines all priced from $13.95 to $19.95. There are some truly excellent values. In addition, there are 4 Irish Whiskeys, the best being the least expensive. Plus there are 24 untasted In-Store Discoveries (designated ISD), of which 9 are ISD-X unsold previously-released Vintages On-Line items. Finally, there are also 5 organic items.